Moving air supply system



Aug. 23, 1955 M. E. cAMERoN ET AL MOVING AIR SUPPLY SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 8, 1952 Allg- 23, 1955 M. E. CAMERON ET A1. 2,715,912

MOVING AIR SUPPLY SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8, 1952 affanni/S Aug- 23, 1955 M. E. cAMl-:RoN ET A1. 2,715,912

MOVING AIR SUPPLY SYSTEM Filed Dec. 8, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 M VEN TORS 4721227 Cdr/'eran BYVA/d] 21e r f'dzzzzs.

HMA Hm United States Patent O MOVING AIR SUPPLY SYSTEM Martin E. Cameron, Dearborn, and Walter Bratus, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, lVIch., a corporation of Delaware Application December 8, 1952, Serial No. 324,782

12. Claims. (Cl. 137-599) This invention relates to pressure tluid supply systems and particularly to air supply systems adapted for use in conjunction with conveyor systems on assembly lines orr the like.

With the advent of assembly line methods of fabricating articles such as automobiles and the like, it immediately became obvious that some method must be provided to continuously supply power to the assembly line workers power tools as the worker and the work article moved along the assembly line. Various schemes for utilizing overhead electric power supply trolleys have been utilized in the past so that electrically operated tools could be used at a plurality of locations along the assembly line. In a number of instances, however, it is more advantageous to utilize pneumatically operated tools rather than electrically operated tools and furthermore the dangers involved in the use of pneumatically operated tools are much less than with corresponding electrically operated tools.

In all of the power supply systems utilized to date along assembly lines, air or electric, there has always been a problem of keeping the several tool lead-in lines and power supply lines free so that they would not become tangled or broken as the work article and the worker were moved to diterent locations along the assembly line. of the tool lines and the power supply lines, it was necessary that there be a quick, easy, safe method of connecting and disconnecting the various power operated tool lines to the power supply lines. In electrically operated systems sparks are often caused during the engagement or disengagement of an electrically operated tool with its power supply trolley or the like. These sparks present a re hazard particularly if fumes of an explosive nature happened to be present in the area of the supply line. In addition to the tire and explosion hazard, frequently the tool lead-in lines cables on electrically operated tools would become frayed or broken and the assembly line worker would be subjected to shock as he attempted to connect his tool to or disconnect it from its power supply source. is thought to be obvious that pneumatically operated power tools have certain very denite advantages over electrically operated power tools for assembly line work. Accordingly there has been a pressing desire for a simplitied, continuous air supply system that would provide a plurality of moving air outlet connections along all portions of the assembly line.

The air supply system herein disclosed is adapted to provide a plurality of air supply outlets that continuously move along the assembly line, usually at the speed of the work article that is being moved along the assembly line. This air supply' system provides means whereby a plurality of pneumatically operated power tools may be easily, safely and quickly either connected to or disconnected from ythe circulating air outlets. In addition, this air supply system includes novel means whereby the ilexible air supply conduit, that connects the air supply ln addition to preventing entanglement From the aforementioned brief discussion it v 2,715,912 Patented ug. 23, 1955 ICC header to the circulating air outlets, may have its effective length varied to compensate for continuous movement of the associated air outlets along the assembly line. With the air supply system herein disclosed there is little, if any, possibility of the air supply conduit, the circulating air outlet conduit or the air tool conduits becoming tangled or broken or obstructed in any way. This air supply system is relatively simple in design and consequently inexpensive to manufacture and install. The various elements used in this air supply system are substantially standard items that have been assembled in a novel manner to provide an air supply system that solves the heretofore major problem in the use of pneumatically operated power tools along a moving assembly line.

lt is a primary object of this invention to provide an air supply system having one or more air tool outlets that continuously move along the assembly line usually at the same speed as the Work article passing along the assembly line.

It is another object of this invention to provide an air supply system having a novel means for controlling variation in the elective length of the exible air supply conduit that is connected between the air system supply header and the movable carrier conduit for the air supply outlet connections.

lt is still another object of this invention to provide an air supply system having a novel form of circulating air outlet carrier conduit.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide an air supply system having novel means for coordinating the movement of one or more air supply outlets along the assembly line with the movement of the work article along the assembly line.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent from a reading of the following specifications and a consideration of the related drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of an air supply system embodying this invention installed along an assembly linc, the view having certain parts of the air supply system broken away to permit the use of a larger drawing scale for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective View of the left end of the air supply system shown in Fig. l, this view being taken generally in the direction of the arrow 2 applied to Fig. l;

Fig, 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the bumper mechanism associated with the slack takeup means for varying the effective length of the flexible air supply conduit of this air supply system;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, sectional elevational view taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. l showing a portion of the circulating air outlet carrier means of this air supply system; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of another portion of the air outlet carrier means, this view being taken at the area denoted by the circle 5 in Fig. l.

Considering rst Fig. l of the drawings, it will be noted that the reference numeral 19 is applied to a header pipe of an overhead air supply system. Header pipe 10 is connected through a valve 11 to one end 12 of a flexible air supply conduit that is generally represented by the numeral 13. The exible air supply conduit 13 extends from its aforementioned one end 12 around a rst xedly mounted, pulley wheel 15 and then around a longitudinally spaced apart, movable, second pulley wheel 16 from whence it is bent back upon itself and directed around a third, iixedly mounted pulley wheel 17 after which its other end 18 is connected to a universal pipe joint coupling 19 (see Fig. 5 particularly). Pipe coupling 19 is a part of the hereafter described air outlet carrier mechanism 22. Coupling 19 has a pipe section Ztl connecting it to the conduit portion of the air outlet carrier mechanism that is generally represented by the numeral 22.

The several pulley wheels 15, 16 and 17 areeach parts of a slack take-up mechanism, generally represented by the numeral 25. This slack take-up mechanism is adapted to automatically vary the effective length of the ilexible air supply conduit 13 as its connection 19 to the moving air outlet conduit 60 of the carrier 22 moves to various positions along the assembly line. The slack take-up mechanism 25 comprises an I-beam type of rail 26 that is suspended from the overhead structure 27 by suitable strut means 28. This rail 26 is arranged at an angle to the horizontal and provides a sloping track along which the trolley device 30 is adapted to reciprocate. Trolley 30 is of more or less standard construction and comprises a pair of bar weights 31 that are suspended by hangers 32 from the trolley wheels 33 that are adapted to roll along the lower flange 34 of the I-beam track 26. Trolley 30 has a yoke type support 35 depending from its underside that rotatably supports the movable pulley wheel 16.

The lower end 36 vof the sloping I-beam track 26 has a bumper mechanism 38 (see Fig. 3 particularly) mounted thereon so as to provide a cushioning stop for the trolley unit 30 when it reaches its lowest point along the track 26. The bumper mechanism 38 comprises a bumper block 39 having rod-like legs 40 reciprocably mounted in the box-like hanger 41. Compression springs 42 are threadably mounted on the rod-like legs 40. The springs 41 extend between the bumper block 39 and a spaced wall 42 that is part of the box-like hanger 41 so as to provide resilient means to cushion the engagement of the trolley 30 with the bumper mechanism 38. Obviously other forms of trolley movement limiting and cushioning meansv could be utilized in place lof this specific bumper mechanism 38 that is herein disclosed. As no claim is made for the specic type of bumper mechanism herein disclosed, it is thought to be unnecessary to go into greater detail as regards this particular mechanism.

The upper or elevated end 37 (see Fig. l) of the sloping I-beam type of track 26 mounts an L-shaped support bracket 44. Support bracket 44 has a depending leg 45 that rotatably supports in stacked arrangement the pair of fixedly mounted pulley wheels 15 and 17 respectively.

The fixedly mounted pulley wheels 15 and 17, as well as the movable pulley wheel 16 and the trolley wheels 32, are each provided with suitable wheel bearings so that friction at the wheel axles will be kept to a minimum.

From the above description of the slack take-up mechanism 25, it is thought to be fairly obvious how this mechanism operates to vary the effective length of airV supply conduit 13 as its connection 19 to the air supply outlet conduit 60 moves along the assembly line. With the connection 19 in the position shown in full lines in Fig. l, the trolley 30 may be in engagement with the bumper mechanism 38 at this time and the eifective length of the iiexible air supply conduit 13 is a minimum. It should be pointed out that the location of the pulley means 15, 17 is substantially at the center of the assembly line section along which the air outlet carrier conduit 60 extends. As the work article, which in this instance happens to be automobile bodies 80 that are shown in broken lines in Fig. l, moves towards the left the air supply conduit connection 19 between the supply conduit 13 and the air outlet carrier conduit 60 will move towards the right. This movement of the air connection 19 towards the right will require the effective length of the supply conduit 13 to be increased and this is accomplished by the rightward movement of air supply conduit end 18 causing, throughthe pulleys 15, 16, 17, movement of the trolley 30 along the trackway 26 in a leftward and upward direction. When the air connection 19 has f reached the end of its movement towards the right the effective length of the air supply conduit 13 will be at shown in Fig. l in broken lines and is denoted by the reference numeral 30. Thereafter, the air connection 19 passes around the right end of the carrier means 22 and starts to move towards the left along the track 26. When the air connection 19 has reached a point along the lower side of carrier means 22 that is in vertical alignment with t the overhead, ixedly mountedpulleys 15, 17, then the trolley mechanism 30 will again be substantially at the lower end of the track 26 and almost in engagement with the bumper plate 39 of the bumper mechanism 38. Thereafter, as the air connection 19 continues to move towards the left along the lower side ofthe air outlet carrier means 22, the eiective length of the flexible Vair supply conduit 13 will then begin to lengthen and the trolley mechanism 30 will once again ride up the inclined trackway 26 until the time the air connection 19 reaches the left end of the carrier mechanism 22. Once the air connection 19 reaches the left end of the air outlet carrier means 22 then the effective length of the air supply conduit 13 will begin to shorten and the trolley mechanism 30 will then ride down the sloping track 26 towards itsV right end 36. From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that the trolley mechanism 30 will ride up and down the sloping track 26 twice during each circulating' movement of the connection 19 around the air supply carrier means 22.

The air outlet carrier mechanism 22 comprises an endless link or chain type conveyor belt having pivotally connected links 51 (see Figs. `4 and 5) that mount a plurality of supporting wheels 52. Wheels 52 are adapted to ride along supporting angle iron type tracks 53. Spaced along the link `type conveyor belt 50 are a plurality of substantially inverted T-shaped article support arms 54. These support arms 54 are arrangedso as to limit the upward movement of the wheels 52 away from the associated track elements 53.y Spaced along the endless conveyor belt 50, at substantially four foot intervals in this instance, are a plurality of T-type valve air control connections 55.I EachA of these T-type connections 55 mounts a self closing air outlet connection 56. The air outlet connections 56 are of the female type and are adapted to have a male type coupling connection on the free end of an air operated power tool hose connected therewith to provide for ready engagement and disengagement of the tool with any of .the connections 56. Each T-type valve connection includesV a gate valve means having a lever type operating handle 57 so that the air supplyl to the outlet connection 56 may be discontinued if such a condition should be desired. Extending outwardly in a horizontal direction (see Fig. 4) from each T-type valve connection 55 (except the connection 55 mounting the joint 19) is a pipe section 59 that has a T-coupling 64 connected to the outer end thereof. Each of the T-type couplingsl 64 are interconnected with adjacent T-couplings 64 .by means of short lengths of exible tubing 61. Dueto the fact that the adjacent T-type couplings 64 are interconnected by pieces of exible tubing 61, it is thought to be obvious that a construction has` been provided whereby a continuous, flexible, closed air supply conduit 60 is carried by the endless conveyor belt 50. Furthermore, this endless air supply conduit 60 mounts a plurality of airpoutlet connections 56 at spaced points along its length such that a plurality of air operated tools may be simultaneously operated while being moved along the assembly line at any desired speed. As aforementioned, it is usually preferable to move the air supply outlets 56 along the assembly line at the'same rate as 3 the work passes along the assembly line so that the workers using the air tools may ride upon the work article and use the tools While so doing.

From an inspection of Fig. 5 it will be noted that the end 18 of the exible air supply conduit 13 is confnected to the air outlet carrier mechanism 22 through the universal pipe coupling 19. Coupling 19 is connected through a cross connection 66 to a pair of conduit hoses 61 and to the conveyor mounted pipe section 20. A cable strut means 65 is connected between the conduit 13 and the cross connection 66 to reduce the tension placed on the universal coupling 19 during movement of the coupling 19 around the mechanism 22. This strain reducing strut means 65 may assume any number of forms wherein the cable 65 is integral With the conduit 13 or portions thereof. No claim is made for this feature per se. Suitable valve controls (not shown) may also be provided to automatically shut ol the air supply in the event of failure of certain portions of the conduit system.

In actual operation, a worker having an air operated tool, such as the staple gun indicated in Fig. l by the reference numeral 70, will connect the male connection 72 on the free end of the tool hose 71 to the air supply connection 56 that is then passing around the right end of the carrier mechanism 22. As the work piece moves towards the left down the assembly line the air supply connection 56 to which the tool 70 is attached is .likewise moving towards the left along the assembly line at the speed of the work article 8G and accordingly l the worker may use his air tool during the entire period the work article 8G is passing along the assembly line. During periods of non-use of the tool it may be hung on one of the moving supports 54. When the Work article 80 has reached the left end of the carrier mechanism 22, the worker merely pulls on the tool air hose connection 72 and thereby disconnects it from the associated air supply connection 56 after which the worker may return to the right .end or" the line with the tool and again plug in the tool hose connection 72 to an air supply outlet connection 56 that then happens to be passing the right end of the carrier mechanism 22. With the arrangement herein shown it will be seen that the tool air hoses 71 need only be of minimum length and as they are continuously moving down the assembly Y,

line at the speed of the Work article 80 they are never in danger of being entangled with other tool air supply conduits or the like and, furthermore, as they are always operably connected to the air supply line 66, they may be continuously operated during passage along the assembly line.

Figs. l and 2 show a preferred form of drive for the carrier mechanism 22. The carrier mechanism 22 is supported by overhead structure including a pair of beams 81 that support electric motor means generally denoted by the reference numeral 82. Motor means S2 drives a sprocket 83 that is engaged with an endless chain 84. Chain 84 is also engaged with a drive sprocket l85 that is fixedly connected to a drive shaft 86. Drive shaft 86 also has drivingly connected thereto, at the opposite ends thereof, a pair of conveyor belt driving sprockets 87. The drive sprockets 87 each are engaged with the endless link or chain type conveyor belts 50 that form portions of each of the carrier mechanisms 22 located at opposite sides of the assembly line. As the carrier mechanisms 22 on opposite sides of the assembly line are identical, only one carrier mechanism has been described. While a single motor means 82 has been shown for driving the pair of carrier mechanisms 22, it is thought to be obvious that a similar type of drive mechanism could be utilized at either each side or each end of the carrier mechanism 22 if circumstances should require such a drive. Suitable control means, not shown,.are associated with the motor means 82 so that the speed and period of operation of the carrier conveyor 22 will be coordinated with the speed 6 and period ofoperation-of the conveyormechanismfmoving the workarticles S0 along vthe assembly line.

From the aforementioned description it fis thought zto be obvious Vthat there is provided a pressure .fluid supply system that ywill readily permit zthe 4continuous-use -of air operated or iiuid pressure operated tools or the like as ,the assembly line work article passes kalong the .assembly line. Furthermore, this V:pressure luid supply `system .includes means for varying the effective `length of the `iiexible pressure iluid supply conduit such that there :is no danger of the :pressure lluid supply conduit'becoming broken -or entangled with Ythe various tool -supply conduits for anyother portions of the associated conveyor system as the tools are moved lengthwise of the-assembly line. v

We claim:

:1. An air supply system comprising an air supply yheader, a -exible airsupply conduit connected to said header, an endless carrier having drive Vmeans Vfor causing carrier movement along a closed circuit Where air is yto rbe supplied, an endless air outlet conduit having a connection -to said air -supply conduit and mounted on Vsaid carrier for movement around said predetermined Vcircuit, and means associated with said flexible air-supplyconduit adapted to vautomatically vary the eiective length of -the ilexible air supply conduit as its :connection to fthe air outlet conduit moves laround the predetermined circuit.

.-2. An air supply system -comprising an air supply header, a Vlexible air supply `conduit connected to .said

header, anendless carrier `having drive means for causing carrier -movement along a closed vcircuit where `air is Yto l.be supplied, an endless air outlet conduit `having a connection to said air supply conduit and mounted zonsaid carrier .for continuous Amovement around said lpredetermined circuit, and means associated with said exible Aair supply conduit 4adapted to automatically vary the -eective length of the flexible air supply conduit as'its connection to ,the air youtlet conduit moves around the Apredetermined circuit, said last mentioned means'comprising a slack `take-up `device including a gravity .actuated device connected to an intermediate portion of said ilexible airsupply and varranged to be reciprocated by movement of the air outlet conduit around its ,predetermined circuit.

3. Apressure fluid supply system comprising a supply header, a flexible Vpressure -uid supply conduit con- .nectedto said header, an endless carrier Ihaving driving means to ycause carrier movement along a circuit where pressure fluid is to be applied, an endless pressure uid outlet conduit having a connection Vto said .exible pressure iluid supply conduit and mounted on said carrier for movement around said predetermined circuit, `and means associated with said flexible pressure fluid supply conduit adapted to automatically vary the efective length of the exible pressure tluid supply conduit las its connection to the pressure liuid outlet conduit moves around the predetermined circuit.

4. An air supply system comprising an air supply header, a iiexible air supply conduit having one end connected to said header, an endless carrier having drive means for causing carrier movement along a closed circuit where air is to be supplied, an endless air outlet conduit including one or more discharge connections, said endless air outlet conduit having a connection to the other end of said flexible air supply conduit and being mounted on said carrier for movement around said predetermined circuit, and means associated with said exbile air supply conduit adapted to automatically vary the effective length of the iiexible air supply conduit as its connection to the air outlet conduit moves around the predetermined circuit, said last mentioned means comprising a trackway sloping to the horizontal, a irs't pulley wheel located adjacent the elevated end of said trackway guidingly receiving portions of said one end of said eXible air supply conduit, a weighted trolley device mounted on said trackway for movement longitudinally thereof, said trolley device carrying a second pulley wheel that has an intermediate portion of said flexible air supply conduit guidingly looped thereabout, anda third pulley wheel xedly mounted adjacent said rst pulley Wheel guidingly receiving portions of said other end of said exible air supply conduit.

5. An air supply system comprising an air supply header, a flexible air supply conduit having one end connected to said header, an endless carrier having drive means for causing carrier movement along a closed circuit'where air is to be supplied, an endless air outlet conduit including one or more discharge connections, said endless air outlet conduit having a connection to the other end of said llexible air supply conduit and being mounted on said carrier for movement around said predetermined circuit, means associated with said ilexible air supply conduit adapted to automatically vary theelective'length of the iiexible air supply conduit as its connection tothe air outlet conduit moves around the predetermined circuit, said last mentioned means comprising a trackway, a weighted member ymovably mounted on said trackWay and means connecting said weighted member to said llexible air supply conduit whereby said air supply conduit Will remain,v taut during travel of said other end of said flexible air supply conduit around said predetermined circuit, and motion resisting cushioning means mounted so as to engage said weighted member` and limit its movement along said trackway.

6. An air supply system lcomprising an air supplyv header, a flexible air supply Vconduit having one end connected to said header, aniendless carrier having drive means for causing carrier movement along a closed circuit Where air is to be supplied, -an endless air outlet conduit including one or more discharge connections, said endless air outlet. conduit having a connection to the other end of said ilexible airv supply conduit and;

being mounted on said carrier .for movement around said predetermined circuit,rmeans associated with saidY exible air supply conduit adapted to automatically vary the effective length of the exible vair supply conduit as its connection to the air outlet conduit moves around the predetermined circuit, said last mentioned means Vcomprising a'trackway, a weighted member movably mounted on said trackway and means connecting said Vweighted member to said ilexible air supply conduit whereby said air supply conduit Will remain taut during travel of saidother end of said flexible air supply conduit around said predetermined circuit, and strut means'connecting said exible air supply conduit kto the endless air outlet yconduit to yresist forces tending to separate the connection between the exible air supply conduit andthe endless air outlet conduit. Y

7. A pressure lluid supply system comprising a pressure -iluid supply header, a iiexible pressure uid supply consame, said one or more pressure fluid discharge openings being mounted on said belt for movement thereby, flexible pressure iluid conduit means connecting said one or more discharge openings, motor means connected to said conveyor belt supporting means yto effect movement thereof, and means associated with said flexible air supply conduit adapted to automatically vary the effective length of the flexible air supply conduit as its connection to the airoutlet conduit moves around the predeterminedcircuit, said last mentioned means comprising a trackway, a weighted member movably mounted on said trackway, and means connecting said weighted member to said exible YYair supply conduit whereby said air supplyrconduit will re- 3 main taut during travel or" said other'end of said ilexible air supplv conduit around said predetermined circuit.

8. An air supply system comprising an air supply header, a flexible air supply conduit connected to said header, an endless air outlet conduit having a connection to said air supply conduit and mounted on an endless carrier `for continuous movement around a predetermined circuit, said endless air outlet conduit carrier comprising an endless conveyor belt, driving means supporting said conveyor belt, a plurality of air discharge connections drivingly supported by said conveyor belt, and a plurality of sections of flexible air conduit connecting said discharge connections to said tlexible air supply conduit and `toeach other, and means associated with said lexible air supply conduit adapted to automatically vary the effective length of the exible air supply conduit as its connection to the air outlet conduit moves aroundthe predetermined circuit.

9. An air supply system comprising an air supply header, a exible air supply conduit having one end connected to said header, an endless'air outlet conduit having a connection to the other end of said flexible air supply conduit and being mounted on an endless carrier for movement around a predetermined closed circuit, said endless air outlet conduit carrier comprising an endless conveyor belt, driving means supporting said conveyor belt, a plurality of valve Controlled air discharge connections carried by said conveyor belt, a plurality ot ilexible sections of air conduit connecting said Vdischarge connections to each other and to said other end of the llexible air supply conduit, and rneans'associated with said liexible air supply conduit adapted to automatically vary the ciective length of the flexible air supply conduit as its Connection to the air outlet conduit moves around the predetermined circuit.

10. An endless air outlet carrier mechanism comprising an endless conveyor belt, driving means supporting ysaid conveyor belt, a plurality of self sealing air discharge tions carried by said circulating conveyor belt, air con-V duit means connecting at least ltwo oisaidrdischarge conncctions together to provide an air discharge conduit and also providing a connection to said flexible air supply conduit, and means associated with said exible air su vply conduit to vary its effective length as its connection to the circulating air discharge conduit travels about the path of the conveyor belt.

12. An air supply system adapted to be connected to References Cited in the iile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,148,695) Klingcnsmith Aug. 3, 1915 1,395,616 Stroberger i Nov. l, 1921 2,677,317 Gerafe Apr. 13, 1937' FOREIGN PATENTS 549,180 Great Britain 1942 

